Harry Potter and The Door of Dimensions
by porno-graffitti
Summary: It's time for Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, however when he sees a massive Flying Castle haunting the school grounds, and a mysterious new student who claims he's going to be 'watching out' for Harry, the boy who lived gets the feeling that this year wi
1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter & The Door of Dimensions.******

**Chapter 1: ****  
****In Which Harry Finds Things Unsettling****  
**

Harry ran into a post. Not a particularly badly placed post, and not one that blended into it's surroundings so one would be prone to run into it. Simply a post, with a few coloured posters taped rather specificially to it's black metal skin. The top, like regular street posts, was adorned with a street light, which glowed dimly in the balmy air above Harry's head. 

So what reason had Harry, the gifted boy magician and possibly most cursed individual in this Wizarding world, to run his face into this post?

Well, no reason in particular. To be honest, which Harry tried his best to be even if it meant being brutally so, the post had nothing to do with the current situation. However, the foggy, sticky hot weather, lead to this minimal catastrophe.

"BLAST!" Harry shouted, letting out a string of curses which were thankfully muffled by the squelching fog. He rubbed his nose and tried in vain to straighten his now crooked glasses. One side sagged downwards, making his already impaired vision all the more impaired.

"What the bloody hell is the meaning of this FOG!" He shouted at no one, kicking the post, which didn't fairly deserve the abuse. Harry, for those who weren't aware, had been developing a rather hot temper that usually steeped just below the surface. Of course, no one could much blame him, it was more of an outlet to him than anything else. Years and years of pent up frustration were bound to break through his calm British facade eventually. Loosing one of your only hopes to escape an abusive life didn't help either. Especially when that only hope was also you're beloved Godfather.

Over the summer Harry had tried to be reasonable, tried to be patient, but even with his added efforts it wasn't enough to stop himself from exploding at the Dursleys.

"Cursed post..." Harry muttered under his breath, and contiued on his way, reaching out vainly with one hand and trying to grope for the next obstacle that might come his way. He just prayed that a car wouldn't happen to run him over on his mislead journey.

Dragging the heavy luggage behind him he thanked the inventor of wheels as it bumped and rolled along. Every so often he would hear Hedwig soar above his head, calling out to him, or to herself. He often wondered what kind of language the owls had, if any at all. Hedwig was on of his favorite creatures, and even more so to talk to.

He sighed heavily, envying her wings. 

She could always go wherever she pleased whenever she pleased. Harry on the other hand was constantly being monitored.

At least this time he was being ordered to leave the house, meaning he might make it a bit further than his first attempt.

He had barely gotten a few houses from the Dursleys the last time he'd try to go outside when a random wizard had marched up to him, announced he was forbidden to leave the Dursleys, and quickly sent him straight back. This has disturbed Harry greatly and for a few weeks he didn't make another attempt to escape. So he had waited, sitting broodily in the living room, staring out the window, waiting for the last day of summer to arrive so he could finally make his way back to Hogwarts. It was not a pleasant summer. He spent most his time threatening his only blood kin with hexes and curses so they would have the sense to leave him alone.

The last week was the best, for the three of them had gone on a week vacation, and said that he had better be gone when they got back. Harry was, to put it mildly, overwhelmed with relief. An entire week with no one but himself and Hedwig.

So the last day had arrived, and Harry finished packing his things. He had been contacted by the Order and told a specific location (the end of his street) and a specific way to get there (walking down the street). Harry thought this to be all very elaborate for such a simple plan but conceded to their wishes anyways. He knew that they were just looking out for him, and however bizaar, he trusted their judgment. At any rate, if it let him get out of this house and into school, all the more reason to go along with whatever they asked.

And so he trode, in a trudging hopeless way, he practically had to swim through the murky fog.

It was hot. The fog was hot. It had been all over the tele for days now, about record setting heat waves and the even more peculiar fog that had descended. Harry had absolutely no doubt in his mind that this was either some plot from the Order, or a plot from Voldemort. He hoped the latter was wrong.

A figure emerged out of the fog in front of him and Harry stopped in his tracks, a sick feeling hitting his stomach. What if the call from the Order had been a ruse? The voice on the telephone had sounded like Lupin, but Harry knew there was a spell for just about every kind of disguise and with this in mind he remained still, weighing his options extrememly quickly. If it was a trap, he had just walked blindly, literally, into it.

The figure moved closer and it's dark sillouette seemed to become more and more pitch as it weaved out of the layers of mist.

Harry readied his wand in front of him, his hand level and steady.

"Potter!" Barked a voice from the figure. Harry jumped and his wand went to his side instantly, "What in blazes do you think you're doing with that wand in my face? Put that thing away this instant." The voice cut through the fog and all of Harry's doubts. However, a new fear emerged.

It was mingled with disgust, "Professor Snape!" Harry exclaimed as the crooked nosed man loomed over him.

"No.. the tooth fairy." He said in a completely humourless tone.

Harry stared.

"Oh for heaven's sake... Stop staring like a medusa and hurry up. We haven't got all day, and believe me, babysitting you is the last menial job I would like to be doing at the moment." His snappish tone hadn't changed in the least from the previous year, except for maybe becoming more peevish.

Harry shut his mouth and nodded, stuffing his wand back into his pocket and following the quickly retreating Snape.

'Why did it have to be SNAPE... of ALL people..' Harry thought bitterly. He was hoping he would be able to talk to Lupin before school started, but that was dashed now. He hadn't even been able to speak to Lupin about Sirius... it pained Harry to be so cut off from the world, he couldn't share his sorrow, frustration, or even find a shoulder to cry on. He tried to keep the thought far from his mind. He would have a chance to speak with Lupin eventually. Until then, he forbade himself to think about it.

"Where're we going?" Harry inquired.

"Don't ask questions, Potter.. You should know by now that the walls have ears." Snape drawled, turning to the right sharply, as if he knew exactly where he was headed. Harry found it strange how Snape could see in this mess, but he followed none the less.

After what seemed like only a few minutes of walking Harry heard voices and bustling noises of feet. When the fog cleared he looked around and was nearly astonished to find himself standing on the Platform 9 3/4, the Hogwarts train sitting in the station puffing passive clouds of smoke from it's chimney. Harry turned to ask Snape how he had gotten here so quickly, but when he turned Snape had gone, along with the fog.

Harry has mixed feelings of relief and dissappointment. Snape was never there when you needed him, and always there when you dreaded his presence above all else.

'...good riddance.' Harry thought, glancing around the quickly emptying platform. It was too late now to find Ron and Hermione... He would have to try and find them on the train.

He quickly found the nearest door and to his surprise Tonks stood uffishly in conductor garb. She grabbed Harry's suitcase and hauled it up effortlessly. Today she had bright aquamarine hair with a few navy hatpins holding the conductor hat on her head.

"Harry!" She cried jubilantly, "Long time no speak! How was your summer? I don't suppose very good, I mean, how could anyone enjoy themselves with the hideous Dursleys around. Boy, if I could I would take you under my roof in an instant. Bugger those Dursley pig-dogs! They're nothing but thoughtless layabouts. Come on now Harry! Hurry it up, I've got a room already reserved for you. Don't trip on your way up here... watch your head!"

Harry felt a little overwhelmed by her at first, although she was very nice looking, she talked in copious amounts, drowning Harry's senses. After not speaking to anyone in a week and most of the summer except to exchange scalding remarks, he didn't know quite how to respond. So he nodded and made little "mm hmm!"s to satisfy her.

He was kindly escorted to his cabin by the Hurricane Tonks, "Now I couldn't find your red haired friend or your poofy haired girl, but there was a boy who was looking rather lost when he arrived, so I bunked you with him for the duration of this trip." She smiled boardly at that statement, obviously feeling quite proud about helping out a lost soul. Harry smiled nervously to her, half expecting her to crush him in a bear hug before leaving. Thankfully, she did not.

Harry watched her walk briskly down the hall, she turned on her heel at the end and looked back at him, "If you need anything just holler! I'll be close by!" She winked and the dissappeared down the hall. Harry pondered about how one could vanish so naturally in a completely empty and straight hallway. She hadn't left through a door, window or any other visible exit. She just did. This unsettled him a little, but was reassured by the thought that she was mostly harmless.

Harry sighed and opened the door to the cabin, wincing at it's whine on the rails. When Harry opened his eyes to the cabin there was indeed a boy sitting there, just as Tonk's told him. He sat in the corner near the window, gazing out it's dewy glass with a misty expression on his face. His hair was a chestnut brown colour, but when the silvery light from the fog hit it right it took on a reddish glow, highlights usually hidden shining through. It looked much like polished bronze. His skin was smooth and simple and pale which allowed his stranglely bright blue eyes to carry all the attention.

The fog outside hid the trees from sight and anything else that might be interesting to look at but the boy seemed to be staring fixedly and almost worriedly at something outside. Harry raised an eyebrow and wandered over to him after storing his bags, none of which the boy noticed.

"Hi, I'm Harry...Guess we'll be sitting together for the next.. little while.." Harry waited for the initial shock of surprise and then the agasp look of awe at his forehead. This usually threw off any natural first impression that people made about him. All assumed he was a fearless leader, or a creepy boy in league with evil...

But the reaction never came. The boy simply turned his head, a bit slowly and looked up at him, blinking once. 

They stared at each other and finally the other boy flinched, as if just waking up from a dream, "OH! Sorry! Must've... dozed off completely. Sorry.. What was your name again? I missed that.."

Harry narrowed his eyes a little. What an odd kid... And he had an American accent, or maybe Canadian.. He couldn't quite place where exactly it might be from, but it certainly wasn't British.

"Harry. Harry Potter." He repeated with clarity.

"Oh, nice to meetcha Harry. My name is Markl. Just Markl." He offered a hand for Harry to shake, but to be quite frank (not that Frank would do such a thing) Harry just stood still and tried to judge whether this boy was simply hiding his knowledge about Harry's notoriety, or if he was simply just a really dull Muggle-blooded wizard.

"uh, yeah... good to meet you too.." Harry said, a little unsure about this kid. He looked at the kid's hand before taking it. He had a strong handshake. He looked to be the same age as Harry... but there was something off about him.

"This is my first time going to Hogwarts, though I'm in sixth year, I believe. What year are you in?" 

"...sixth as well..." What this guy going to be another annoying pest, like Colin?

At this the boy grinned, a little mischeiviously, "Grand." His eyes glowed in an impish manner that Harry had never quite seen before in anyone, "Want to show me around maybe?"

"...Uh... suuure..." Harry said, looking out the window.

"Excellent." He declared, letting the mysterious grin turn into one of confidence. He radiated boyish good looks and charisma, which made Harry feel a tinge of jealousy. Harry lacked even the slightest bit of charisma to make his looks even worth mentioning. 

Now Harry had always thought of himself rather peculiar, people commented on just how peculiar he was, and he realized it even more when he was listed to the roster of a prestigous Wizarding School, but he never once thought of himself completely daft. That is to say, insane. Sure, many muggles probably thought he was off his rocker, but Harry knew he was still driving on all four wheels. However, what he saw next made him seriously question all he had come to believe about the sanity of his mind.

Outside the window, flying along side the train at about the same speed but with less grace than the train, was the most massive peice of poorly constructed castle he had ever laid eyes on. Dangling from it's rounded bottom were four spindly legs. Large wings beat the air heavily, causing mini whirlwinds of mist to cascade over it's bulk. Harry stared and pressed his face to window, watching it swoop in and out of the clouds. He glanced at the Markl, wondering what he thought of it, only to find the boy was watching the castle just as he was, but not with a look of surprise.

He was grinning wildly, watching it with excitement, "Oh good! I was worried for a while there..." He said happily. Apparently he knew what the thing was.

Harry found all this a bit too unsettling and had a sinking feeling that this year was going to be a very unsettling one indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Harry Potter & ****T****he Door of Dimensions.******

**Chapter 2:****  
****In Which Harry Discovers His Name is Very Annoying.****  
**

"What did you say!' He spat immediately, determined to discover what this guy was hiding. Harry had had enough of being kept in the dark. He'd had enough of being lied to, cheated, bullied and manipulated. His entire life he'd been kicked around and abused. He was damned if he was going to let this new Markl kid get the better of him.

"You know what that thing is!" Harry blurted again, grabbing Markl's arm.

Markl's smile instantly vanished, his face becoming a white mask as his large eyes turned towards Harry, a little shock in their aqua depths, "Hey..Calm down..." he spoke a little defensively, pulling at the arm that Harry had a death grip on, "...It's nothing to worry about." he stood up, and Harry straightened his back a little, letting go of Markl's arm.

He quickly looked back out the window at the castle. Of course it was gone, hiding in the mist, he suspected, or maybe it had disapparated away completely. Either way he was disgruntled by it's vanishing act. He never seemed to have the proof when he needed it!

"You should relax, Harry. This year you'll be fine with me looking out for you." He smiled again and decisively left the cabin, which felt to Harry to have become recently extrememly cramped.

Harry stared for a moment wondering what to make of that statement. It wasn't something someone you had only just met would usually say to you. However, Harry reminded himself that this was no ordinary place and very extraordinary things were bound to happen at least once a day.

It wasn't before long that Harry realized Markl never answered his question, "Why that slitherer-outer!" Harry shouted, jumping to his feet and dashing out of their cabin, racing after the boy wizard. As he entered the hall he was only quick enough to catch the boy's bronzed hair slip into another cabin a few meters away. 

The door thunked behind Markl's back and Harry walked over to it, banging his fist on it's wobbly glass window, "Not much a hiding place, Markl!" Harry shouted angrily at the door. With one swift motion he whipped it open, at the same time as shouting, "Don't be such a--AH!" Before Harry could even believe what was happening clouds and tracks were roaring past his face as the door opened directly into thin air. The edge of the bridge dared him to jump and Harry struggled to keep his balance, wavering back and forth for what seemed like the last seconds of his life.

He noted that his entire life did not flash before his eyes, but instead a wave of regret.

Finally he felt a hand grab the back of shirt and pull him back into the car and out of insanity's twisted fist. Harry's butt hit the ground with a painful thump and he pressed his back against the far wall, panting heavily at the sudden rush of adrenalin.

Markl had just... dissappeared into thin air. 

Harry began to wonder if he had imagined the entire scenario. He tried to recall if he had mistaken this door for another, but he hadn't, he was sure of it. Of course he knew it was magic, but a sixth year student? Using that level of sorcery? Harry didn't think it was possible.

Harry didn't think it was legal. 

His concentration shattered as someone continuously shouted his name. Harry began to really hate his own name and find the person shouting it extrememly annoying. Maybe his name was just annoying, or a combination of all three.

"WHAT!" He finally exploded, glaring up with fiery green eyes.

To his mild surprise, although he was bit too tired to care at this point, Ron and Hermione stood over him, looking a bit like two nervous pigeons. The two of them shuffling foot to foot was almost comical in appearance. Harry laughed under his breath, wondering why the two of them were so awkward looking, "What?" he repeated.

"Harry.." Ron began, but trailed off, scarching the back of his freckled neck with one hand. His red hair had been cut short again, but only short enough that it brushed the tops of his ears. It seemed to be styled to stick out in every which direction possible like a flock of owls had just flown passed his head. It gave him a bewildered sort of air, which was natural to the Weasly family, but emphasized even more by his hair.

Of course his pale blue eyes failed to find Harry's, as usual.

"Harry." Hermione started, her voice stronger than Ron's and her resolve apparent in her chocolate brown eyes, "Ron and I are .. well, a bit worried about you." Harry could see her fingers intertwinging with each other, rubbing together anxiously. She hadn't been this nervous looking since last year's final exams. 

Of course, she looked fine and her hair silky. Obviously her spells weren't fading in effectiveness.

Harry looked at them blankly, and a little disbelievingly, "Excuse me?"

"We're worried about you. We haven't seen you all summer and the first time we do see you snap at us again... We just wanted to say hi... Aren't you happy to see us?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at them. Had they not SEEN that he was dangling out the side of the car just moments ago? Weren't they the ones who pulled him back in just in the nick of time? What was wrong with them! No normal person would look in good spirits after something like that. Harry had more reasons than most to be frazzled, "What! Can't you guys just..-" He puts his hands up beside his head, as if clawing for the words to form above theirs heads in plain english. He sighed and stood up.

"Look, I'm just a TAD stressed out right now, in case you hadn't noticed. Can't you two understand that I'm not just going to be 'happy to see you' every time you call? I almost died and you two are just thinking about how I made your DAY bad. Well, I can't feel that bad since every day of my LIFE has been hell or bloody well close to it. Now it's worse than ever and ever since... Ever since..." He stopped and let the words die on his tongue. 

He didn't want to continue. He didn't want to speak now, or ever again. This was just too much for his meager little mind to handle, "Just forget it. Go away. I was fine before you guys came along." He said bitterly, glaring at the carpeted train car. The edges were sewn tight to the siding and still held a rosey red colour of their threads. He wondered briefly what the car looked like when it was first built.

He looked up through his bangs at Ron and Hermione, who stood in front of him, blinking foolishly. Hermione's shoulders sank a little and she looked at the ground, then to Ron, who shared her look of dissappointment. Harry wondered what was taking them so long to leave, so instead of waiting for them he turned on his heel and stormed back to his cabin, closing the door tightly and locking it behind him. 

'Bloody...I just want to be alone..' he sat back where he was before and pulled his knees up to his chin, biting his bottom lip till a metallic taste filled his mouth. 

Alone was good. Alone as safe. 

He watched the clouds a while, but found them too fleeting and distracting to stare at, so instead he rested his forehead on his knees and sighed, waiting for nothing and no one. It was then a knocking came to his door.

"GO AWAY!" He shouted at the emotionless wooden grain. The knocking continued and continued.. and continued... Harry was at his wits end, "Just leave Me ALONE!"

The slid open with a hiss, it's creak all but completely erased, "No, Harry... I won't leave you alone..." Came a low and slightly dark voice. Harry didn't recognize the tone and it gave him shivers to hear. He didn't want to look up, he didn't want to face another uncertainty. He was tired of being brave and stupid. It only led to his downfall. At this moment, he didn't care who it was that came into his Cabin. It could be Voldemort. He would simply hand himself over and say hell with it. Enough was enough.

However, he still flinched away as a hand fell onto his shoulder.

'Just leave me alone!' He pleaded to himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Harry Potter & The Door of Dimensions.******

**Chapter 2:****  
****In Which Tears Are Shed and Things Are Said.****  
**

The hand recoiled a little as Harry flinched so violently. Harry thought that maybe he could scare the new comer away but when he looked up to shout or complain or whatever the case may be, he found himself unable to turn down who had walked in.

Remus hovered over him, a look of worry and tired empathy. His eyes, Harry thought, must have been the mirror image of Harry's. They were weary, rimmed with red, and he looked more exhausted than ever. His clothing was still its shabby stitched together grey and brown motley, but everything about Lupin seemed to scream desperate. Yet he was always so quiet, even in the throws of emotional heartbreak, he remained relatively calm.

Lupin, who had lost not one now, but two of his best friends, who had been alone for most of his life, who had never had the love of parents while growing up, was probably the most like Harry. Now more than ever. It was strange how Harry had never realized it before. He rarely thought of adults as people he could talk to freely... They always seemed to be the mature ones, the ones devoid of any fatigue; they could say the right things at the right time. Lupin was the epitome of admiration in an individual. But suddenly, as Harry sat looking out at Lupin, he knew that his old teacher and friend were looking back at him with the exact same expression. For once, he and Lupin were equals.

As if to further this realization, Lupin brushed his dusty brown hair back with one hand, seeming to be a little unsure of himself. He sat down without saying anything.

"Harry..." He began a little quietly, looking at him again. His eyes were the colour of honey and they blinked a few times when Harry looked into them. He sat speechless for a moment before continuing, "... I... have been meaning to speak with you... for some time... I apologize for not coming to see you sooner... The Order wouldn't have it."

"Professor...it's--"

"Please Harry, no need to call me Professor Lupin anymore. I'm not your teacher..." He smiled. Harry was always a strong believer that Lupin's smile could melt even the coldest of hearts, "...I'm your friend and equal. Call me Remus."

Harry nodded his head a little, looking at his feet, "...Lu-- Remus...It's alright. I understand that you couldn't get away to come see me. I'm used to it by now. I'm always alone anyways when I'm at the Dursley's."

A look of disconcertion came over Remus's face then. He shook his head and put an arm around Harry's shoulder, "Harry... It's never alright to be miserable."

This was an awful truth that Harry did not want to face, "I'm not SO miserable...I have Hedwig...and my spells and stuff..." Harry was sounding less and less convinced. He rested his forehead on his knees again and took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. He didn't want Lupin to see how frazzled he really was, even if it was blatantly obvious at this point.

"I miss him too..."

Harry tensed a little, knowing exactly who Remus spoke of. How could he not? That person had been on his mind for months... What startled Harry the most was the fact Remus's voice cracked halfway through the sentence. He rolled his head sideways, looking up at Lupin's face, which was half hidden by his disheveled hair.

Was it true that this was the calm, collected Remus Lupin that he had known last year? He had never seen Remus cry before, not even on the day of Sirius's death did Remus shed a tear. Harry had thought he was just being himself, being cold to the world at the same time as taking care of everyone else, but it appeared that it was Lupin who needed taking care of.

Harry just watched Remus for a while. Finally Harry leaned on his old teacher's shoulder, his forehead buried in the surprisingly soft robe. This time it was Remus's turn to flinch. He looked down at the ebony shock Harry had fought to tame his entire life.

"Of course you miss him... I never doubted that, Remus." Harry croaked. Then he didn't speak for a long time as he tried to stop crying. He could feel that Remus was shaking slightly as well, and the next time he looked up, Lupin was hiding his eyes with the palm of his hand, small glittering points decorating his cheeks.

Harry was glad he could be there for Lupin. He was also fairly glad that Lupin was there for him.

"You should start writing, if you can." Harry said at last. He felt Lupin nod a few times, before agreeing with him.

"Perhaps I shall, Harry... God knows keeping a journal doesn't work for me." Lupin laughed a little and Harry smiled, but at the same time wondered what he meant. Lupin quickly changed the subject, "At any rate, I think it would be healthy for both of us. Don't you agree?"

Harry nodded a little, "Yeah, and it would give me something to do. Practicing the same spells over and over again only gets so exciting..."

Remus looked down at Harry and smiled, his eyes still brimming with tears, "Oh? And how is the Protronus coming? Still holding out strong?"

"Yeah. I'm getting better and better. At least I've perfected almost all my spells..." No doubt Harry would actually be the top student this year.

"And your potions...?" Lupin grinned a little bit, knowing that Harry had never been too superb at the potion making, leading to much discontent and disgruntlement from Professor Snape.

"...ugh." Was all Harry could manage, "Snape escorted me to the train station today. I thought I was in Hell... or a nightmare."

Remus was suddenly silent and he blinked, all signs of sleep deprivation fading from his face, "... Severus did?"

"Yeah, it was bloody annoying. I was hoping you would have, but no, Snape appeared out of the fog..." Harry sighed to show his displeasure with being exposed to the Potion's Master.

"...Are you... Quite sure?" Remus asked, looking slightly worried now.

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Yeeah..."

"Harry, that's simply impossible. Severus has been infiltrating the Death Eaters for the entire summer. The Order has spoken to him on scant occasions. There is no way that man could have been Snape."

This alarmed Harry, but he simply took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, "So... Who was he then? He didn't try to hurt me... He just led me to the Platform and then ...disappeared."

"I'm not sure, but you need to be more careful. This fog that descended is something evil, it is not of any kind of magic that Dumbledore knows of, meaning just about anything could come out of it. We will be watching you constantly and once you reach the school you will be assigned to a personal bodyguard."

"A WHAT?" Harry was not fond of the idea of some spooky bodyguard following him everywhere. He was even less fond of the idea that he wouldn't have a moment's peace until school was out, "You've got to be joking--"

"I am entirely serious. This is a very dangerous situation. I'm glad that you told me about the Severus copy, though I'm not sure what it means... You could be being followed or traced. There could even be a trap waiting."

This sounding more and more horrible by the second.

"I want you to be extra careful... I know you're always an observant boy, but now more than ever. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded dutifully, "Voldemort's stronger than ever, isn't he?" Remus' eyes flinched at the name and he nodded, "... alright. Thanks, Lup-- Remus."

The trained jolted and began to slow its course, the dew on the window outside slowly slid towards the ground as the cart pulled into the Hogsmead station. Lupin stood and looked down at Harry, who quickly rose to his feet right after.

"Well, guess it's time to get off." He stated the obvious; Remus smiled a little and gave him a large hug, taking Harry completely off guard. Before the boy with the lightning bolt scar could react, Remus had escaped the small cabin and was gone. Harry stood staring aghast at the door before Tonk's head poked through.

"Harry?" 

Harry jumped about an inch, "AH!" before realizing it was the mostly harmless Tonks. Key word being mostly, "oh... it's you." He said flatly afterwards.

"OH poo! What kind of greeting is that! 'Oh... it's you' you should be happy to see me, Harry! Come now, don't be such a downer. Let's get your things and hurry up, don't want to be sent back to London now do you? That would be an awful occurrence indeed. Don't you fret, theeere you go! Woah! This luggage sure is heavy! You must keep your entire life in this suitcase! Oh Hedwig stop your bickering! Harry, you have a lovely owl..."

Harry was all too thankful to get away from the talkative Tonks. He was also slightly thrilled that she would not be his bodyguard.

But that left the question... who WOULD be his bodyguard?


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry Potter & The Door of Dimensions.******

**Chapter 4:****  
****Which Is Longer Than All The Rest**

Students clogged the platform at Hogsmead. Students of every shape and size jostled Harry about in a rather unpleasant manner, causing Harry to, a few times, loose his balance and fall over. Luckily there were so many students that every time this happened Harry was simply caught by a large group of skinny First Years, or one large Seventh Year, or a mish-mash of both. Harry found it hard to recall another year when things were so congested and he began to wander if another spell was afoot.

Of course there was, for out of the mass of tall, thin wizard with salt and pepper hair came forewords, elbowing kids right, left and center. Leaving a path of bruised and confused students, the Wizard came foreword and stopped just in front of Harry, looking down his slender nose at him. The man did not look particularly old, or young for that matter. He simply was of an age that Harry knew he could not possibly meddle with. His fearsome, hawkish and dark eyes scrutinized him a moment. Harry could have sworn he'd seen this man somewhere before, or at least a relative of the man, but he couldn't place face.

Instead he just stared blankly, wondering why none of the students seem to give him a second glance.

As if reading Harry's thoughts the Wizard let out an airy, irritated sigh, "There's a spell on me you silly boy. They won't see us as long as I'm around you. So just stop thinking so blatantly and follow me, Dumbledore wants to see you immediately." The Wizard took Harry by the arm, each of the man's iron fingers digging into Harry's muscle. 

Harry tried not to complain too loudly and followed, whistling for Hedwig. She swooped down and landed on the back of Harry's luggage, hooting with a non-plussed tone. Apparently Hedwig wasn't enjoying the sandwich of humans ruffling her feathers.

"It's alright, Hedwig... We'll be out of this-Erf!" Harry was jerked violently to one side as someone ran directly into him. His bag went sprawling and Hedwig screeched, soaring into the air to avoid the kafuffle.

Harry had been liberated from the Wizard's iron grip, but he was still there, hovering over Harry with the gloomiest expression had seen on anyone's face. It was topped only by Snape's sour look. He watched as the older Wizard simply stood there, looking off into space, waiting for Harry to stand.

"So, Potter, still being babysat by Wizards everyday? You must really relish in being treated like an incapable mudblood invalid."

That was when Harry realized the older Wizard wasn't looking into Space, but in fact the space that was inhabited by a certain unruly Slytherin student.

"Always know how to make a complete ass of yourself, don't you Draco?" Harry said acidly, getting to his feet smoothly.

The Wizard beside Harry took a step back, seeing that the boy was going to try and settle this on his own, and would surely like to be completely visible for the occasion.

Draco snorted and flipped his hair off his forehead with one hand, "It was a bit tough to make you out in this mess. Go figure you'd hide like a coward in the crowd. It's a good thing Voldemort chose to pick on the pussy Gryffindor." He grinned with a little.

Harry's temper flared, his glass green eyes shining with hatred for the blonde brat. Draco had no inkling what it felt like to be hunted for your entire life. He had no idea what it was like to fear for your friends and companions on a constant basis. He had lived his life in luxury and silver spoon in his mouth since the day of his birth. It just made him all the more insufferable that Draco boasted to Harry regularly about his family and parents, something Harry had never known.

"And what was that I heard about not leaving your wretched home all summer long? Were those filthy muggles just that good to you? That'd they lock you up like the animal you are..." Draco burst out laughing, and Harry noted with some interest that he was completely alone, aside the fact the platform was filled with people, Draco's lackeys were no where to be found. He was reminded of the night at the Quidditch cup when Draco had tripped him.

Draco wasn't even paying attention to Harry now, he was simply reveling in his own ingenious as the dust and debris around Harry's feet swirled about into a mini tornado.

Harry took a few large strides and was in front of Draco within seconds, one hand on his neck. Draco blinked and looked at him, his pale face blanked at Harry's actions. He obviously expected Harry to limp off home. A few people stopped to watch the fight that was happening.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Draco." Harry could feel his hand tighten with not only his own strength, but that of his magic, increasing it by double. Draco tried to speak but was quickly cut off as he struggled to get away from Harry, "I will kill you..." Harry hissed quietly, feeling his grip tighten again.

He heard voices and shouts and screams, but ignored them. What was the big deal, all he was doing was threatening Draco, it's not like Draco didn't do that to them every day at Hogwarts. HE wasn't actually trying to hurt him, anyways. But shouts continued and he even felt a few hands pull at his arms.

Something kicked Harry's ankle and he looked down a little. 

It was Draco's feet, dangling almost a foot on the ground. Harry looked back up at Draco's face, which was now a lovely shade of puce, slowly turning a tone of mud green. Harry released him suddenly and Draco collapsed to his knees, coughing and sputtering pathetically, and quite indecently.

Some students rushed towards Draco, but didn't touch him. A few looked at him with horror; in those faces Harry saw Hermione and Ron, who were clearly astonished he had done that. Not because they were shocked he stood up to Draco, but because he lifted a boy bigger than himself clear off the ground with apparently no effort at all.

Harry took a half step back, looking down at the boy who had tortured him since the day he arrived. He couldn't quite discern if he was disgusted by what he had just done to him, or if he actually enjoyed it.

The thought began make him nauseated and he quickly turned and left, picking his bags up and hurrying over to the tall Wizard, who had stood there placidly there the entire time, watching with calm eyes. 

"Harry...! What were you doing?" He heard Hermione say, but quickly blocked her out.

Without saying another word the Wizard led him away down the platform, leaving the crumpled form of Draco and the circle of bewildered students, his friends included, who continued to call after him. He kept walking, as quickly as his legs would carry him. Soon he out matched the lanky Wizard who was leading him.

He was escorted into a carriage, just like the year before, and pulled towards the castle. He could hear the footsteps of the great, silky, black beasts that carried it, and he sat back against the satin cushions of the carriage, looking at his hands.

They looked ordinary enough... How could they have...? How could he have done that? So easily. He didn't even feel Draco's weight beneath his palm. It all seemed so unreal. He had even threatened to kill Draco. Although he had thought about it many times, he would never actually commit such a crime. Not even to Draco.

A small voice Harry's head chimed, it's too good to be true, but Harry smothered it, ashamed of such a conscience. He rubbed his forehead, leaning on the window frame and gazing out at the school, which loomed through the fog, becoming larger and larger. Little golden flames made the windows dance about like candles in the night, and the great hall was already lit up in preparation for the coming festivities. Harry craned his neck and looked up at the tallest spire, where Sirius had been held prisoner while awaiting the kiss of Death. The light was out, and Harry could almost hear the chains that held him rattle. He sighed.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" Came an all too familiar voice from beside him.

Harry jumped in his seat and whipped his head around to see who was there. In all his thinking he completely overlooked that there was someone else in the carriage with him, "M-Markl!" He exclaimed, his voice sounding more and more exasperated.

"Indeed!" Markl chimed happily, sitting at the other window, looking at the same sight as Harry, but not for the same reasons, "Hogwarts is truly a magnificent school. To imagine that so many students gather here every year. The thought is mind boggling, I'm used to one on one teaching..." He smiled cheerily which made Harry loath him even more.

He leaned away from Markl, resting his chin in his hand, "Yeah. Lucky you, I guess." Harry said in a board tone.

Then he remembered what he had meant to ask the kid before he mysteriously disappeared earlier.

"Hey! What was that float--...ing..." he trailed off as the carriage began to slow, but as it did the mist to their left swirled and swallowed out from it he could see the rough image of the castle land on the grounds, it's feet taking root in the earth and its wings melting into the heaving sides. Harry gaped, but before he could be any more shocked than he already was the castle took a few hulking steps, and then gained speed and quickly vanished into the hilly mountains that surrounded he Hogsmead valley. The Castle had moved with such ease and grace for its size and bulk. Harry was soon sitting, staring into absolutely nothing.

The carriage jolted to a stop and Harry was jerked back into reality. He looked at Markl who was already making his way to the trunk for his bags. He glanced back at where the castle had landed in the Forest and saw that there was nothing there now but a grove of mist and Hagrids somewhat bedraggled hut.

"... Bother!" He shouted, getting out.

"What was that, Harry?" Markl said, poking his head around the side of the carriage's rump, blinking a little.

"I said BOTHER! What is that blasted caslte!" He shouted again.

Markl blinked a few times rapidly before raising an eyebrow and shrugging his shoulders, "It's just Hogwarts, you should know better than me." Markl sounded a little sympathetic, and then added, "You should go straight to bed, Harry. You're in a terrible mood."

"I am NOT! Just shut up! Let's go." Harry hadn't forgotten that he said he would show Markl around, but he figured showing the annoyingly cheerful thing to the Great Hall would be enough. After that he intended to avoid him like the plague.

It was then he remembered that Dumbledore wanted to see him...

Bother that too, Harry thought, he could see Dumbledore after he made his speech to the school.

He quickly stumped up the steps and tried to avoid being seen by Ron or Hermione, or anyone else who would try to make jolly conversation.

"What house are you in?" Harry asked Markl, once they entered the hall.

"House?" Markl looked a little confused, but then a look of comprehension spread over his features, "Ooooh...! I don't know. Guess I don't much care. Frankly, I'll go with anything as long as it isn't Hufflepuff." At this, he grinned his fantastic charming grin again. 

Harry groaned and sat down, groaning again silently when Markl sat beside him. The remaining students filed in and took their seats. First years, second, third and fourths. Every year was soon filling the grand hall and Harry was thankful he had taken a seat amongst the Seventh year students, only a few of which he actually communicated with.

It was then that McGonagall took the podium, clearing her throat loudly. There was no need for a voice amplification spell on her, she could make even the deafest and dumbest of student hear her banchee cry.

"As you all know, the Dark Lord has once again risen to power. He has been reborn and we, as the staff of Hogwarts, cannot stress enough to you how dangerous the world has no become. There will be a new set of regulation and rules that will be sent to every Common Room and be announced by ever House Leader. These are to be followed with the utmost accuracy and fortitude. To ensure our school stays open and safe for all Witches and Wizards, I know you will all understand why we are being so very vigilant."

Harry could hear whispers all over the great hall, and especially from the Slytherin table, at which a pale and parched looking Draco sat sulkily, rubbing his throat. He scowled at Harry before leaning towards Blaise, whispering something in his ear. The two of them then joined together in a combine glare, first towards McGonagall and then towards Harry.

Harry liked to think he was ignoring them.

"So without further ado. Welcome to those students who have just enrolled at our and school, and Welcome back to everyone who has been here before. We are, as always, thrilled to be running yet another, which is sure to be exhilarating, term at Hogwarts. Let the feast begin!" MacGonagall spread her arms, and with the flick of her wand food spread over the plates, steam and scents rising from the boiled and brewed concoctions, each more succulent than the last.

Harry wasn't hungry, he stared sullenly at his plate and then up at the Staff Table, where Dumbledore's seat was still empty. He noted that Snape was there, however, and tried not watch with uneasy weariness.

Snape caught Harry's eye and glowered between the twin curtains of greasy hair. Harry looked back at his plate. He was sure he would be reprimanded for injuring Draco earlier.

But that was furthest from his mind at the moment. What he kept wondering was where the real Headmaster was, and why McGonagall was taking Dumbledore's place. No one else seemed to even be concerned about his absence…


	5. Chapter 5

**Harry Potter & The Door of Dimensions.******

**Chapter 5:****  
****In Which Markl Prays and Nobody Remembers The Headmaster****  
**  
Harry stared at the ceiling as he was forced to sit through the feast for twenty agonizing minutes. The clouds above were massive mountains of gold and blue, cascading light over their breadth. Pools of iridescent light dappled the Great Hall's floor, and the students had to avert their eyes from above because of the brightness, of course, Harry, the most observant of them all, was too distracted by his thoughts to notice. However, on the off chance that he did gaze heavward, he could have sworn that he saw a castle drift in and out of the clouds lazily.

'Castle's shouldn't be lazy...' he thought absently, '... They should be respectful, hold themselves up... with dignity... or something...' Once more he found himself staring at the staff table, as the thoughts of clouds made of castles loafed in his brain. He suddenly noticed with astonishing clarity, clarity being a rare sensation for him, that a few of the seats were empty. Dumbledore's, the Defense Against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic all were missing their professor. 

Harry could understand the first two, but History of Magic? Professor Binns had been with Hogwarts since, for all Harry knew, the beginning of time. He was already dead which made him rather convenient in that he would never have to be replaced... or get sick... or have an accident... 

Harry was a little thankful at the prospect of possibly not having to deal with the dead-beat ghost, but he reminded himself that now he was finished with his O.W.L.s, there was no need to worry about him being there or otherwise.

As the sorting hat was brought out, Harry drowned out the ever changing poem and rhyme, waiting and watching apprehensively while every first year was put into their new houses. He never realized how incredibly tedious this was.

His curiosity leapt back to the empty DADA seat, but it was interrupted when the name, "MARKL PENDRAGON" was shouted across the hall. Markl's back straightened and he nervously got to his feet. Harry looked at him, wondering why the more often than not, brave, brash boy was so nervous. Then Harry remembered that he didn't care and hoped Markl would be put into a different house, just so he didn't have to put up with him anymore.

Markl slowly walked towards the front. Being an older student it looked a little strange, but many of the students were whispering about his name, including Seventh years that Harry was sitting by. When he finally made it to the stool he sat on it uneasily, looking a bit oversized for the miniature seat. Harry remembered how large it had been when he first sat on it. It seemed so small now.

McGonagall placed the hat on top of Markl's fluffy bronze hair, and the hat wriggled into place, as if his head was particularly comfortable.

Harry watched Markl with apprehension. If he was put into Harry's House, he would have to put up with the insufferable whelp for the entire year. He knew that he shouldn't have been so friendly to him, now he would have another Colin Creevy, just as he suspected!

Harry continually checked the empty chairs.

When he looked back, the hat was on top of his head, still debating over what house to place the boy into. Harry saw Markl's mouth moving, his eyes closed in what looked like a silent prayer. Harry could have sworn he was whispering, 'not hufflepuff… not hufflepuff…"

The hat suddenly screamed in a belching sort of way, "GRIFFINDOR!" 

Finally clapping and nervous hollers of approval echoed inside the hall. Some students leaned over and started asking questions furiously about the new guy, but Harry successfully ignored them, only giving half replies and shrugs of indifference. He was starting to loath being the center of attention.

Markl made it back to his seat in once piece, shaking all over. For a while he sat in silence, in which Harry could only think 'sweet… sweet relief' but sure enough, the reprieve didn't last long.

It was then that Markl decided to break his momentary reverie, "Harry! Lookit that bloke! He must be a giant or golem!" Markl spoke loud enough that even some of the Hufflepuff students heard him. Harry let his face sink into his hand.

When he looked up, sure enough, Hagrid was getting up from his seat along with the rest of the teachers. He waved one meaty hand at Harry enthusiastically, a goofy grin on his beaded face. Harry waved a little, a small half smile creeping over his lips. A few students laughed as he tripped over a bump in the carpet and sent Professor Trelawney into a spin and eventually falling on her face. Her frizzy hair seemed to grow with her agitation, like a puffer fish ready to unleash its fishy wrath. She turned on Hagrid, in an uproar, but McGonagall quickly turned her straight and walked her towards the door.

Harry shot out of his seat and made for the end of Great Hall. He could hear Markl trailing behind him, wondering why Harry was in such a rush and not wanting to be left alone in the mass of people. On his way, about halfway down the hall, someone caught his shirt and pulled him back. Harry looked down to see Hermione and Ron looking up at him. Markl bumped into Harry while looking the other way at some Ravenclaw girls who were consistently tittering like a flock of magpies about him ever since he was sorted.

"W-what is it? Hermione, let go!" Harry tried to pull away.

"Harry, can you at least wait for us to come with you? The Gryffindor room has moved... or so I've heard..." She sounded a little unsure, but who could blame her. It was odd news that the dorm would move after generations of remaining in the same place.

"Not now, I've got to find Dumbledore. He said he needed to see me."

Hermione gave him a blank look, and Ron squinted his eyes at Harry, "What..?"

"Harry," said Ron reasonably, "whoever you want to see can wait till after we get our timetables and --"

"Whoever! It's Dumbledore! It's got to be important!" Harry blurted, causing a few other Gryffindors to give him a weary once over. Perhaps Harry hadn't noticed until now, but many of the students were staring at him, and had been staring since the feast started. The rumors about the ministry incident the year before had apparently spread over the summer. Know doubt the Prophet was the culprit. At any rate, Harry was a genius at ignoring stares; after all, he had dealt with much worse and survived.

Hermione looked around uneasily, "Harry..."

"What! Hurry up and say what you're going to say, this is important!"

"I... I'm sorry, I just... I just wanted to know... Who is this Dumbledore character you keep talking about...?" Her voice was shaky, and for good reason. Harry's eyes had blazed the colour of fire again, their green depths shining dangerously.

"Hah. Hah. Very FUNNY. This is some sick joke you two are playing I'm not laughing." Harry pulled his arm from her grip, causing her wince in pain.

"Calm down!" Ron protested, looking at Hermione's hand before glaring back up at him, "We're just curious! You don't have to spaz! Sorry if we're not 'up to date' with all this secret business."

"Secret? What the hell are you talking about!" Harry roared, his shoulders slowly becoming more and more edgy. It was if a raging monster inside his chest was screaming and clawing to tear something, anything apart. He barely felt someone tugging on his sleeve and glanced to see Markl looking rather anxious.

"Harry... uh, people are staring."

"SO? What ELSE is new! People always stare at me! Get over it!" Harry turned on his two friends, who looking rather dumbstruck and horrified by now. Harry had commanded the attention from the entire Hall as usually. Harry's mouth twisted to form words but he finally gave up and whirled around, storming out of the room leaving Markl to trail behind.

"Wait till I talk to Dumbledore about this… Something is really... really...!" He left the sentence unfinished mostly out of frustration, but also because he really couldn't think of a word to fit the situation. Soon he arrived at the gargoyle which guarded Dumbledore's office. He stared up at the stony face, and it stared back down at him, cold and grey as ever.

"What are we waiting for...?" Markl asked with a tone of unease.

Unfortunately, Harry realized, he didn't know the password, "Nothing Markl! Just be quiet!" 

Suddenly he burst into a string of rudely spoken names, all of which were in some sense related to candy, much to Markl's confusion. He continued for a full minute, in which Markl simply stood and stared at him like he had gone completely stark raving mad. He must have looked quite interesting, shouting the names of sweets at a gargoyle in the middle of the hall.

Finally, somewhere between 'acid pops' and 'love potion' the gargoyle sprung to life, it's hard stone skin becoming instantly pliable and full of life, giving Markl and near to heart-attack, and trotted aside quite purposeful, revealing a slowly ascending spiral staircase. Harry vaulted himself up the stairs, three at a time before arriving at the top. Finally, he could straighten out this business and tell Dumbledore what was going on, and about Markl and the Mist and the castle and everyone acting strangely.

He had stopped dead in his tracks. The office, which was most regularly covered in an assortment of paintings and colourful wall paper, off trinkets and baubles whirring and making puffs of smoke, a map of the stars, a model of the solar system, a massive telescope, all gleaming as if they had just been polished, was a dark mass of dust and debris now remained. Everything looked to have been decaying for a few years, the baubles, while they were still there, were smashed or broken, collecting dust. The paintings were all but destroyed, their paint chipping away and the people within the frames long gone. Tattered rags hung from the ceiling and the large window which usually featured an intricate stain glass panel was smashed and boarded up in a few places. Sun leaked through a the cracks, causing rays of light to splinter the cobwebs. The massive telescope hung askew from its holding and the wind rocked it with a groaning creak.

"I... don't believe...it... it's not possible..." Harry took a step into the decrepit room, and the boards beneath his feet moaned in complaint. He pushed aside a curtain and crept towards Dumbledore's desk. On it lay many magical trinkets, forlorn and rusty from disuse. There was a goblet which was toppled over onto some parchment, and small vile of dusty looking water with the consistency of syrup. He picked it up carefully, inspecting the contents, as if it would reveal some eternal secret to this disastor.

"Harry... what is this place?" Came Markl's somewhat quiet voice.

"...This is Dumbledore's office..." Harry mumbled breathlessly, looking over the wreckage again.

"...When did he work here?"

"DID he! He's ALWAYS worked here! He should be here. Now. Sitting at his table. Or pacing in his office! He doesn't just up and vanish like he was never here at all! Something has been changed! This place is usually a treasure trove of relics and finely kept items... and paintings!" Harry strode to the wall, setting the small vile on the table, "These paintings are all decayed! Where are the old head masters! Why is everything so messed up!" He tore one of the frames from the wall with the name 'Phineas Black' inscribed on its tarnished canvas. Harry threw it with all his might at the boarded window, causing the little remaining glass to shatter and fall. An explosion of dust and spiders flooded the room, causing them both to stifle coughs.

"...M-maybe he was... cursed... or hexed... or maybe everyone ELSE was." Gasped Markl in-between coughs, obviously just trying to make Harry feel better and not actually offer a plausible solution.

To Markl's somewhat disgruntled surprise, Harry turned to him with a half smile on his face, "Of course! Someone must have used a powerful spell!" Harry bounded across the room once more, every footstep accompanied by a cracking or creaking or snapping. He left small clouds of dust with every movement, and Markl fancied himself to faint from lack of oxygen.

"He must have left a clue, to whoever found this... He wouldn't just high tail it and leave without trying to leave some kind of warning behind! Not when Voldemort is so strong!" Harry shuffled through the papers and pens on the table top. He turned the goblet right side up and set it to one side, looking under it at the all but impossible to read parchment. Meanwhile, Markl was inspecting things himself, looking behind picture frames, under overturned chairs, through the cracks in the window, which he commented were too bright to see out of.

Harry tapped his chin thoughtfully, ebony locks falling into his face, now covered with a thin layer of silver dust. He blinked it out of his eyes and pulled his glasses off to clean them with the trim of his shirt. Just as he looked up, however, to replace his glasses, he happened to see the rough outline that looked like the Penseive. Without his glasses on, the blurry surroundings looked familiar and he could even recognize some of the objects around the room. He could almost see what they used to be.

He replaced the opticals and stood over the Penseive, which he quickly discovered, was the item he had mistaken for a goblet. He picked up the vial and held into one of the beams of light, in which the liquid inside appeared cloudy.

"Harry... what's that? It's dangerous to tamper with outdated potions... You don't know what will happen." Markl advised, peering over Harry's shoulder.

"Sh! I know what I'm doing." In all honesty, Harry had no bloody idea what he was doing. He could only hope it was something slightly correct. He poured the contents into the oval dish and instantly the gold luster of the antique was restored. Both the boy's eyes went wide, and Markl gasped a little. 

"You stay here, Markl." Harry instructed, pushing the other wizard away with one hand.

"Harry! You can't go in there by yourself! You don't know what you'll see!"

"I'll be fine."

Harry leaned over and put his face close to the water, all at once feeling the vacuum of space around him as his thoughts and soul were pulled into the memory.


	6. Chapter 6

**Harry Potter & The Door of Dimensions.**

**Chapter 6:**

**In Which a Handsome Young Man Is Late**

A cold, prickling sensation stung Harry's face, feeling akin to pins-and-needles excluding the cold numbness that it was usually accompanied by. When he opened his eyes he found himself standing in a void of darkness, a cool breeze ruffling his hair gently. Harry turned but he couldn't tell that he had moved at all, there was no difference in air, pressure, atmosphere, light... nothing. There was simply, nothing. He shivered, and found it hard to find his voice, or courage to speak.

Harry Took a step forewords, not daring to utter a word for fear of what would happen. He imagined his voice drifting out into the darkness and then being torn and shredded by the hatred that lurked there. Irrationality crept over his skin like a million spiders and slowly he felt every memory of happiness and hope slip away. He reached out and grasped the air, which suddenly felt like a slimy sponge, instantly recoiling in horror. He sprinted the other direction trying to escape the hungry shadows, but suddenly his feet were touching the sky and he was rapidly falling or twisting through the space.

In his confused ascending descent images flashed before him... A crimson haired woman screaming... a man clawing for the strength to keep moving... a poor soul dwindling into death... a girl crying and crying and crying... a betrayal of friendship... the scream of an equal... a curtain, fluttering and swallowing one last hope...

It was then he heard a whispering, like scratching against a cauldron, it rasped his ears and all sound became an opaque fog. A hand suddenly clasped the back of his shirt, like before on the train, and was pulling him out, pulling him to safety. He could feel a strong connection with whoever was pulling him back but he couldn't quite see the person's face. Every time he turned to look, the features were just out of focus... or just in his blind spot.

It was then, when his mind had been cleared of the terror he felt, that he could hear the whispers.

"Manifestation...the soulless...truth with the rose...pact to break...--" But Harry couldn't hear the rest, as he was violently pulled back, up and out of the memory.

Similar to the feeling of breaking the surface of a lake going 150 miles per hour from the sky, Harry plunged out of the memory, and back into the fresh and still rather dusty air. Gasping and gulping he collapsed onto his hands and knees, trying to control his quivering muscles. The only thing that came even close to what he had just experienced was the aura of a Dementor.

"Harry! Harry! Harry you look awful! My god, come on! I'm getting you to a place to sleep right now! Crap, I shouldn't have let you go in there... He's gonna murder me now..." Harry could feel Markl's hand picking him up and carrying him down the stairs. Somehow his feet were moving without his brain giving the command, but soon he had drifted into a peaceful, if not somewhat confused, state of unconsciousness.

When he awoke he found himself staring at the vast white ceiling of the Hospital Wing, feeling tingly and numb all over. He blinked slowly, looking around as best he could without moving his head. Suddenly a giant cream coloured monster reared its massive head and snarled, "Oh my Harry! You're my first patient; I think you set some kind of a record!"

Harry blinked. Madame Pomphry blinked back. She raised an eyebrow and shook her head, shuffling away, "You still a little bit out of it, I see? Ah well…" The doughty nurse tut-tutted off and Harry found himself alone. His toes poked out from under the covers and he wriggled them experimentally.

'Still have feeling…' he thought numbly, sitting up slowly and carefully. He felt a bit like a drown rat looked. He just hoped he looked a little more flattering than how he felt.

"Harry!"

Harry was so startled by the presence of another person that he jerked so violently he fell straight out of his bed onto the floor in a sprawl, promptly groaning afterwards, "…..Markl… What the BLOODY hell do you want NOW!"

Markl, the boy who he had only just met but now seemed to be attached to him in some mysterious and magical way, hovered over Harry, one knee on the bed, "What are you doing down there? Come on, get up..." He offered a hand but Harry stood without his help. He glared coldly at the red-headed boy, who slowly withdrew his proffered hand with a look of slight fear.

"You slept all night, it's almost noon, McGonagall told me to come get you up straight away so that you wouldn't miss anymore class." Markl straightened and handed Harry a satchel that was ridiculously large with books flooding out the top and all kinds of parchment half hazardly jammed into the cracks. Markl looked a bit sheepish, "…. I was in a hurry…"

Harry rolled his eyes and snatched the bag from him, slinging it over his shoulder, "Thanks." He said in a flat ungrateful tone, "What about my robes?"

Markl looked at his clothes, and soon after Harry did too. He jumped, realizing that he was fully dressed and ready to go, his ebony robes neatly pressed and his tie perfectly wrapped around his neck. The Gryffindor lion emblazoned on his chest was shined and perfectly stitched. He could have sworn his robes had never looked so nice. He also noted that they fit him despite his recent growth spurts.

He eyed Markl, who said in an all too cheery way, "I already took care of that."

Harry stared blankly, "You UNDRESSED me!"

"W-what? Well… Not really, McGonagall helped…"

"McGonagall!"

"….and Pomphry…"

"….!"

"Yep. You're spick 'n' span and clean as a whistle!" He grinned again. Harry just stared with a mixture of rage and befuddlement on his face, "eh...heh... Right let's go!"

Markl quickly turned on his heel and shuffled out of the room at an astonishing pace, Harry followed after a moment, pondering the ways in which he could kill Markl without anyone knowing.

The halls were deserted and Harry kept his distance from Markl as they made their way to the next class. Harry called forewords, "What class is next?"

Markl looked over his shoulder but quickly averted his eyes when Harry gave him a scalding acidic look that warned him about getting to close, "Defence Against the Dark Arts!"

'Thank…. God…' Harry thought to himself, 'At least Ron and Hermione will be….' He suddenly remembered how he had treated them from the day before…. And all his frustrations came flooding back. This was not going to be a good day.

Markl stopped in front of a large doorway before heading inside. Harry could have sworn he had taken a large gulp of air as if preparing for the worst. Harry followed wearily, looking around the corner a little. Some of the students looked up to see Markl and a few noticed Harry in the process, but most were sitting in their desks, looking around the classroom in awe.

Harry too, was suddenly captured by the odd mood within the room. As he edged in, the door behind him slammed with a bang and shoved Harry further inside. Everyone in the room jumped a little, including Markl who looked like he was going to wet himself.

The entire room was engulfed in darkness, from top to bottom the shadows ate at the corners of everyone's eyes and the only light came from the sparsely placed candles. The tiny flames flickered and danced like miniature people, beckoning the darkness and trapped by its wrath. Harry took a seat in the third row, glancing beside him to see who his desk partner was.

Cold blue eyes of ice met his for a fraction of a second before turning away in disgust. Harry was a bit shocked to see Draco Malfoy sitting next to him, his back straight and proper and his hair nearly glowing in the darkness with what little light there was. He said nothing to Harry, only ignoring him with the utmost posh expression on his face. Harry guessed that the little scene at the platform had left a bad taste in Draco's mouth. Maybe he would think twice about taunting Harry the next time.

Harry slouched his shoulders and waited in the dark for the professor to arrive.

He waited.

And waited.

And waited…

Finally Harry heard loud voiced coming from the office, like two people arguing back and forth, another voice chimed in but was too quiet to hear properly. After about a minute of unintelligible bickering from behind the door it swung open and hit the wall, letting brilliant light flood out into the room. All the students were blinded and looked away, and Harry quickly put the Lumos spell out.

When the door closed and the light ceased, all the candles in the room flared up to impossible sizes, giving off plenty of light to see clearly. Harry found it odd that there was no heat whatsoever from the blaze. He decided magic was more efficient than science.

When everyone could see again they would have noticed that there was now a man standing at the front of the room, just behind the desk. They would have also noticed that he was unusually charming and supernaturally good looking. His smile was broad and welcoming and even his suit, which was a deep endless black and trimmed with bright greens of every hue, seemed to announce his presence in the least irritable way possible. Frosty gold shocks of hair feel into his face but didn't obstruct any portion of it, his eyes were still bright and wakeful, the colour of lucid dawns. He waved his arm out to one side, causing the long belled sleeve of his robe to fan and shimmer with hidden embroideries, "I apologize to my first class of the year with a full, honest, heart."

He smiled again and just seemed far too pleased with himself for saying that. The students watched, unable to take their eyes away from the handsome man.

"Let's start immediately, before I am again delayed. It's preposterous enough that I was late in the first place." He took long strides from around the back of his desk, standing in front of the first row of students, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Great Wizard Jenkins."

He looked around, grinning all the while, waiting for students to react in some manner or fashion, however, the most he got out of them was a lone Gryffindor coughing into their hand. He shrugged and began to make a journey around the room, taking slow, even steps that were far too confident to be safe. Harry was reminded of Lockeheart with a pang of hatred.

Yet, Jenkins continued on, unperturbed by the lack of interest, "I'm not going to explain what this class if about, because if you don't know by now than you are clearly an idiot and will fail anyways." He paused, possibly to consider if he was allowed to speak like that to students.

"At any rate," he went on, "I have no interest in teaching students who do not want to be taught…" As he spoke he stopped by every students desk, picking their wand up and inspecting it carefully before putting it back down, "…So if you have no interest in learning.. Or shutting up when I tell you to, please allow me to mark you with a D for Dreadful and we'll be on our merry ways." He arrived at Harry's desk and paused, picking up his wand for a fraction of a second longer than everyone else. A smile tugged on the corners of his mouth but he dropped the wand a second later and moved on to the next student.

He stopped over a student and made impatient gestures with his hand while talking that seemed to say 'hurry it up I haven't got all day.' The student quickly forked over his wand.

"I am here to facilitate your learning and your comprehension of magic, if you disagree with my methods in any way shape or form, please refer back to my previous sentence about being dubbed with a D for Dreadful." He smiled, but it was one of malicious intent. His eyes seemed to glow with an eerie green light.

"Most importantly," He had arrived back at his desk, hands on his hips, "… I will not tolerate intolerance. You are all Wizards and Witches, magically gifted people, and while this school enforces the silly rule of having separate 'houses' depending on your personality, I believe strongly that it is extremely dangerous putting several like-minded fools in one room. The same goes for geniuses. The world is still around and revolving on his axis today because of the collaboration of many varied opinions and personalities and its survival depends on those different people's ability to cooperate. If you are unable to agree with another house, than you're mind is as narrow as your wand and something needs to be done." His voice had gone cold and the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. Even the fires weren't blazing with as much ferocity as before.

"This also means I will not be giving out points to houses. There are plenty other classes that do that, and I for one will not be involved in such rubbish."

Before long the room lit up again, all the rosy colour you could imagine igniting in ever crevice.

"So." He looked around the room, "Slytherin and Gryffindor." He shook his head and sighed, "….I will now teach you the importance of self-reliance and cooperation." He held his hand up, palm facing the ceiling, and snapped once. Above his hand floated every single wand in the room, "Of course, I'll be teaching you to detect spells and jinxes and hexes and curses and every other word you can think of. You will also be forced to use your brains. Intelligence is sadly underrated in this world." He said with an air of knowing what other worlds were like.

"You're first assignment. Cast a Lumos spell without your wand. A LUMOS spell, nothing more and less. I don't want to see any headless students like the last time." He gave the impression of finding 'the last time' amusing as he covered his mouth with the other hand. He concealed the gesture by pretending he was tapping his chin and then scratching his jaw.

A hand shot up from the back of the room, "….Professor Jenkins!"

"Yes, Hermione?" He said amiably.

She blinked, slightly taken a back by the use of her first name so quickly. Harry turned in his seat to look at her. She was sitting next to Ron, her deep chestnut hair drawn into a hair tie at the back of her head. Small, loose tendrils trailed down in front of her ears and her black robes were neatly slung over the back of the chair, "How are we supposed to cast a spell without our wand? Wands are necessary magical instruments that enhance and focus a—"

"--Witch or Wizard's magical potential to create a desirable outcome. Yes, we've all read the textbook, but have you ever considered how Hogwarts finds its students?" Jenkins leaned on his chair. Harry noted he had rings adorning several fingers and even a few charm bracelets that glistened in the fire light.

"Well, it's not hard… Every witch or wizard is recorded at birth and—"

"Why do you think that is?"

"Because the Ministry of Magic has ever—"

"Not the ministry, what about the individual?"

"Individual…?"

"How does the ministry know who to mark as a Witch or Wizard?"

"…they know… how to because… they have a magic potential…"

Jenkins smiled smugly, leaning back, "Magic. Potential. Ah, those words ring beautifully in my ears. Magic Potential means that they can use Magic, correct? And if you can tell this long before a student is given their wand, than that means they have always had he ability to use magic, regardless of instrument. Many students' power manifests before they arrive at this school, and that is without the help of any device."

Harry cringed, remembering his early magical endeavours, but listened on. Beside him Draco seemed to be paying attention, sneering at Hermione when he got the chance, but pleased the new professor was harassing her.

"In short, Witches and Wizards become reliant on their wands, using all their time practicing with them, when it's really, not all that necessary. When you have learned magic without the use of a wand, then you will be the Master of your Magic." Jenkins snapped his fingers again, and the wands vanished with an audible pop.

"But Professor Jenk---!" Hermione was about to protest that it was simply impossible to use magic correctly without the use of a wand when Pendragon held up his hand, one finger pointed upwards.

Above it floated a tiny ball of light. At first it bobbed and wobbled about uneasily, like a firefly stuck in a glass jar, but it suddenly expanded. A glowing balloon of white hot light quickly grew to the size of a grown man, then a grown giant. Again the students were blinded for a moment, but the ball quickly shrunk to the manageable size of a baseball. Jenkins' open hand welcomed it and guided the ball in a small circle. Anywhere his hand moved, it followed.

"I don't want to hear anything about impossible." He closed his hand and the ball disappeared, "And please, don't worry about the formalities while in this room. No need to call me Professor, Sir, Jenkins, Teacher, Good-for-nothing…" He waved each word away with his hand, "Just call me Howl."


	7. Chapter 7

Harry Potter

&

The Door of Dimensions.

Chapter 7:

In Which Draco Catches Fire

"WHAT?" Two voices rung in eerie, equally outraged unison, followed by stunned silences and little gasps of what appeared to be an indefinite struggle for words not to come. Both boys (from where the two voices came) tried each in desperate, floundering ways to communicate their disapproval and hatred for the sudden arranged partnership.

"ME!"

"With HIM?"

Howl regarded to the two with a cool look of indifference and what some might presume to be great amusement, "Yes. You. With him. Honestly, I thought this country spawned the English language, yet no one here seems to understand it."

He shrugged helplessly and passed to the next set of desks, when Draco piped up in a splintered voice, "I will not be DISGRACED by having to work with this-- this---!" The finger he pointed in Harry's face (which wore the expression of extreme disgust) shook and shuttered, like it was having some kind of epileptic fit. Howl turned and folded his arms over his chest, looking down at Draco with a dreadful scowl on his face.

"You will be Harry's partner for this class. I'm being perfectly reasonably, Draco. Everyone is being paired with their desk partner and if they can bloody well handle it than so can you."

"But I don't like it!" Draco spat, hopefully not realizing just how childish he sounded.

"I, frankly and most courteously, don't care what you don't like. Harry isn't too fond of this idea either, but at least he had the good graces to keep his mouth shut and his thoughts to himself. You on the other hand feel the need to parade around your insolence with the audacity of toddler and the shame of a... of a..." He paused to think, then smiled broadly, "Of a drunken Hobo. You should learn some manners." Again he grinned and flicked his wrist, his fingers pointing towards Draco's chair, which lifted into the air obediently and scooped the platinum blond into it's seat from behind and plopped him down at his desk. Draco seemed to pull against invisible restraints but was unable to summon up a reply to Howl's 'drunken hobo' remark. Harry snickered at him under his breath, watching Draco's face turn the colour of an angry Mandragora.

"Shut up, Potter..!"

"Make me." Harry said.

Howl continued along the isles, checking all the students progress and ensuring they were working with their respective partner.

Harry looked at Draco out of the corner of his eye, leaning his chin onto his steepled fingers. With a bemused expression he admired Draco's struggle with the chair until at last, either the spell gave out of Howl felt a pang of guilt for putting the proud boy through so much humiliation, Draco fell from the chair in a clatter of wood and limbs. He cursed and grumbled and Howl called from the other end of the room, "Now, now, Draco. It's impossible to defend from those kind of curses so I'll have to ask you to refrain." he smiled pleasantly and arrived at Hermione and Ron's desk. Harry craned his neck to see what he was speaking to them about but Draco was insistently annoying, interrupting Harry's skillful eavesdropping.

"To THINK, I have to be subjugated to working with you, a filthy friend of that Mudblood." He scowled at Harry, who gave him the most terrifying glare back.

"Good thing you never think then, or else this might be very uncomfortable for you." Harry said lazily, completely bored with Draco's usual rambling.

Draco to hissed at this but a moment later he stood up, as several other students were, and wandered over to Howl's desk, as none of the students were. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching and with cleverly hidden swipe of his robe plucked a small vial, that looked to be empty, from the table's surface, grinning at Harry as if daring him to do anything.

Howl chimed happily from a random corner of the classroom, "Feel free to find an empty space to practice your spell, class. No wandering into the Halls." Apparently he had not seen Draco's idle hands.

Harry stood up as well, rolling his eyes at Draco's antics, "Someday your idiocy will come back to haunt you..." he said with every intention of reporting it to Howl after class, "… Let's just go over--"

"Wait a minute, Potter," His words were accompanied by a spatter of spittle that came along with the over pronunciation of Harry's last name, "What do you think you're doing? I'm not actually going to work with you." Each word was like a staple gun spitting small metallic teeth.

Harry was obliged to remove his glasses and begin cleaning them with the corner of his cloak, "Well you can always try to argue with Howl again. I'm sure the chair won't disagree to reacquaint itself with your--"

"Bottom line, students!" Howl shouted over the heads of the relatively short company around him, "Magic is the language of the soul and it is commanded by the mind. Keep your mind clear and thoughts focused and you will find magic without your wand a sinch! Good luck all!"

"POTTER!" Harry snapped his head back to Draco, who was looking more and more impatient, "Hurry up and cast your vulgar spell." He sneered, which ended up a down right frown. Harry was reminded of Narcissa's face, so beautiful and gracious but completely ruined by her constantly pinched expression and pursed lips. It was obvious, and a bit funny, to see where Draco had inherited his looks.

"My spell is just as vulgar as your's..." Harry pointed out, crossing his arms. Which was true because they were both supposed to be casting 'Lumos'. Harry tried to calm his mind, only faintly reminded that he was still standing in the class room, his loathed enemy only feet away, by the obnoxious shouting Draco was committed to emitting. Draco's mouth twisted, looking even more like his mother's and somehow hightening his ever so slightly feminine and boyish looks.

"Ladies first." Harry replied with the least bit of wrath and all the sarcasm in the world, imagining something terrible and embarassing would happen to Draco. He was employing the control and restraint he had used on the Dursleys for so many horrid years, so many years of no magical ability at all. So many long yars of wanting to cast terrible jinxes upon their hideous heads. The incident with the snake at the zoo was one such incident that always came back to Harry in flashes of thought. Seeing the fat pig-boy trapped inside the cage was just too satisfying, but Harry had managed to suppress all forms of happiness when Mr. Dursely had snapped at him. Harry's eyes darkened at the thought of going back there.

"Look. POTTER--" Harry was beginning to wonder why Draco felt the urge to call him 'Potter', "Just hu--"

Had not something remarkable just taken place, Draco would have surely gone on into a long diatribe about how slow and stupid Harry was and how he was going to beat him into the ground no matter what and all those other over used lines that Harry had grown accustomed to ignoring. But as it turns out, a spell had over come the youngest Malfoy, and not, as it was supposed to be, a 'Lumos' spell. Harry blinked suddenly, every thought in his head evaporating instantly. In the course of Draco's anger he had shuffled over to Harry in order to reach a good punching distance. It was because of this that Harry noticed how short Draco actually was. In his earlier years Harry always recalled looking up to Draco, reminding himself that he was a tall, gangly, slithery looking figure but over the years, Harry supposed, Draco had grown quite small in comparison, or maybe Harry had grown quite tall.

At any rate, this disparity in height caused Harry to look down, but what he saw was not the flat chest of a boy, but a voluptuous bosom accustomed to women. Harry looked back up at Draco's face, which was still unmistakeably Malfoy, but ever so slightly different.

Harry quickly stumbled back toppling into a desk and nearly knocking a skinny Gryffindor student over, "What the-?"

Draco furrowed his brow at Harry's peculiar reaction, before narrowing his eyes. He straightened his back a little and started to cross his arms, but was somehow stopped mid-way. Harry let out a squeak of shock which seemed to call the attention of the student he had just bumped into.

"Harry?"

"N-not now Neville!"

"What's wrong with Draco..?"

"Not NOW Neville!

Draco's eyes had grown the size of small oranges and the Malfoy spawn threw both arms over the slightly bulging chest, "what did you DO to me Potter!" Draco screeched in a few octives higher than normal, which caused him to slap a hand over his mouth.

Before Harry could clearly answer, or stop giggling like a serial killer, Draco had bee-lined to the door and ran straight into Howl, who had a knack for looking invisible when he wanted.

"Excuse me, miss," he said in a kindly tone, "But you didn—" He stopped mid-sentence and looked down at the 'miss' he had just addressed. Blinking his lucid blue eyes a few times he began to smile and shake his head, eyeing Harry quickly before stepping out of the doorway, "I apologize Mr. Malfoy…" His grin was threatening to cut his face in two but Draco never noticed because he was already escaping into the hallway. Moments later Howl made it his business to find Harry and escort him to the front desk. He waited till the other students were preoccupied with their studies again before speaking.

"Harry, Harry.. My dear, Dear boy." He was almost in stitches and it was only with a great deal of self control (which looked like he was swallowing a very large pink grape) that he was able to speak coherently, "I seem to remember giving specific instructions about what spells to use… I don't believe 'opposite sex', 'transvestite', 'gender-bender' or any such variation was included." As he spoke he slowly leaned down onto his desk, playing with the feather of quill absently.

Harry gave him the blankest look fathomable. Antartica in the middle of snow storm couldn't have been more blank.

Howl breathed deeply, as if the pink grape he swallowed earlier was threatening to show itself again, "You turned…" his voice grew quite quiet, "….mr. Malfoy into a ms. Malfoy."

"I did WHAT!"

"sh sh! Harry, calmness.." Howl breathed deeply again, probably hoping Harry would do the same, but he didn't. Instead his face turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Can we, can we… change him back? No-not that I care! But.. that would be .. I mean,…I didn't mean to!" Harry became quite paranoid and glanced back at the class, some of which were watching him apprehensively, others who were staring off down the hall after Draco. Markl seemed to have disappeared the second Howl came close.

"It's quite alright Harry, I'll change him back whenever he decides to come out of the girls washroom." A flicker of a smile twitched over his lips but guttered quickly enough. He added a little hastily, "…just don't tell the headmaster I accidentally let a student mess with another's gender…"

Harry couldn't agree more and was about to ask him who exactly the headmaster was but Howl stood up with such shocking speed that Harry was surprised his glasses weren't knocked straight from his face. He felt the need to adjust them none-the-less as Howl bellowed across the room, "NO wandering into the HALLS! I swear the lot of you are deaf and dumb!" This coaxed a few interesting expressions from various students. Howl looked back down at Harry, crouching to his level again, "I'll make you a deal, I will keep my mouth shut about it if you keep yours shut." Harry nodded a few times. Howl appeared to be quite anxious about this incident remaining quiet, which was odd, Harry had done much worse in the past and gotten away with it. He was probably the only student who had dodged being expelled from the school more than once. Aside, perhaps, Ron and Hermione.

"Now," Howl said, biting his thumb nail in a peculiar way, "Go fetch Draco and bring him back here. The bell's about to sound and there will be no one to see him at Lunch hour." He began to expertly usher Harry across the class and passed questioning students, one hand placed firmly in the middle of his back, the other parting a pathway through the sea of witches and wizards, "Run along, I'll be in my office for when you return. Good luck!" With that he gave Harry a firm shove and ousted him into the hallway, which was immediately a throng of every shape and size of apprentice. Harry stood for a while in dumbfounded thought, wondering vaguely what had just occurred. He felt like he had just escaped a rather irritating dream, like one where you constantly have to use the lavatory but can never find a toilet that isn't overflowing. He was swiftly carried down stream by the bustle of kids, quickly forgetting all about Markl, Hermione and Ron. He cut across the stream of bodies and flung himself against the far wall, his arms out to either side. It was impossible to navigate in the halls, Harry didn't remember this school being this crowded. It had always been a simple task getting from one class to other but this was just ridiculous. After scuttling long the outskirts he spotted a pair of bathrooms, above each was small sign each with 'witch' and 'wizard' respectfully.

He ducked into the 'wizard' doorway and wandered up and down the isles, peering into each stall.

" 'Just go FETCH him, Harry…' " Harry mimicked scathingly when he couldn't locate the missing Miss Malfoy, " 'I'll just wait HERE, Harry…' " He checked once more before leaning on the sink. He looked in the mirror and realized his face was still lightly flushed. He ran the water and splashed his face with his cooled hands, sighing deeply, "….he's gonna be a laughing stock." Somehow this thought did not make Harry the least bit pleased with himself.

It was when Harry was looking in the mirror that he saw some one looking back at him from around the corner. A small, delicate face with pale complexion and silvery hair that hung like suspended cobwebs. The person's eyes were misty and sharp, like raindrops come into surprising focus. Harry blinked and turned to see who it could be, but the place where the girl had stood in the mirror only housed the dreary air that smelled of lavatory soap. He blinked again, rubbing his eyes, 'must have been a ghost…' he thought quickly. Moaning Mertle was one such creature that enjoyed inhabiting boy's bathrooms, who was to say there weren't others?

"oh!" Harry suddenly realized where Draco must be hiding and he sped out of the boys washroom and into the next door over. A few seconds after he entered the doorway clearly marked 'witches' several shrieks were heard as several girls ran from the room. Harry apologized to no one (as everyone had fled the scene already) silently, rolling his eyes and rubbing his forehead. Just what he wanted to be viewed as, a peeping tom.

He walked slowly down the isles, watching for feet under any of the closed doors. He stopped in front of one of the doors which was slightly ajar. Beneath it he could see the shoes that could only belong to a Hogwarts boy, however, the feet which were inside of them were two sizes too small, and the socks hung slack around their ankles. Harry rapped his knuckle on the door and it swung open with an eerie squeal. Harry winced and looked cautiously into the stall. Sure enough Draco stood with his back to the door, holding a small vial in his hands that looked suspiciously like the vial he had taken from Howl's desk.

"Draco…?" Harry didn't dare take a step closer but was a little surprised when Draco whirled around and eyed him venomously. Harry was expecting a lot worse.

"You have to come back to class so that the Professor..er.. Howl can turn you back." Harry said quickly and quietly, looking at his feet to keep from staring at Draco's….He put the thought far from his mind.

"Get away from, Potter. I don't want or need your pathetic help." Draco, however threatening he may have wanted to appear, just wasn't having the desired effect. The high pitches of his voice, the romantic swirl of his hair, the way his almond shaped eyes glowed when he was angry—

Harry stopped himself and almost jumped back when he noticed what he was thinking, "Gah! Draco! I don't care. Really. Now come on so Howl can change you back!" Harry grabbed Draco's thin wrist and hauled him out of the stall, feeling disgustingly manly. The smalle vile landed on the ground and smashed into a thousand tiny pieces

"Let go this instant! POTTER! Unhand me! You'll regret this! ARGH!" Draco complained and carried on and finally flung his fist at Harry's head. It connected perfectly and Harry staggered back, releasing his grip.

"BLOODY hell!" He turned on the she-Draco and glared acidly at him.

Draco smirked and cracked his knuckles, "Touch me again, Potter, and I'll hit you for real."

"Whatever, you couldn't hit properly if your life depended on it. I'll tell Hermione to give you a few tips."

"That was a lucky hit… If I'd seen her coming I'd've—"

"Run screaming like the little girl that you are? I mean, nothing's ever stopped you in the past."

"Shut it, Potter! When my father hears about this—"

"He'll what? So far you're loving father doesn't seem to have any power to help you out. Poor Draco always runs crying to his father. You're so pathetic."

"My father is brilliant. Maybe if you're pathetic excuse for a dad had followed suit he'd still be alive today, instead of dying uselessly to save your sorry ass."

"What? And become a mindless slave to an insane Dark lord!"

"Better than wussing out and marrying a mudblood whore." Malfoy shoved Harry in the middle of the chest, causing him to stumble and hit the opposite wall. Harry looked up through a shock of ebony hair, emerald eyes blazing.

"Go to hell, Draco…" As soon as the burning words left Harry's tongue a circle appeared below Draco's feet and quickly turned the colour of lava. Intricate designs spiralled out from the circle in every direction, drawing themselves across the cobbled stones. Eyes of nightmare and spires of flame quickly erupted into tiny fires as the drawing completed itself. Draco tried to move out of the heat but tendrils lashed out and bared his way.

Harry's eyes opened wide, sightless and knowing like a blind man's.

Only when Draco started screaming did Harry awaken and comprehend what was taking place. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes looking at the pattern drawn around Draco's feet. His heart was pounding so loud his ears were aching. They were cold and every sound was an icicle drilling into his skull. A white noise over came him as his vision lifted.

Draco was enveloped in fire and Harry dashed forewords into it. His foot grazed the circle and instantly the spell vanished, leaving only scorch marks on the ground, black and burnt into the stone. Harry gasped and caught Draco before the blond hit the floor.

He quickly slumped to his knees and sat in a stupor of blinking confusion.

Did he just light Draco on fire?

He looked down at the porcelin features that now characterized Draco's face. He appeared to be alright aside from a few scorch marks and charred clothings. However, something caused him to loose consciousness. Harry thanked some nameless God and looked at the ceiling. He was just about to endeavour carrying Draco back to the classroom when someone burst into the lavatory, looking exasperated and frazzled.

"P-Professor?" Harry blubbered.

"Harry!" Apparently Howl wasn't expecting to see Harry and Draco.

"Professor! I—"

"Silence Harry! Did you just use magic?"

"I—no! Yes…! I mean, I didn't mean to-- It just…! I don't know!"

Howl looked at Harry pointedly, his eyes, large and mirror-like, took in every detail about Harry in an instant. He muttered words under his breath and looked at the ground below the two students. He strode forewords and lifted Draco up with ease, shoving Harry aside with his foot. Harry fell back and scrambled to the wall again, staring and praying he wouldn't, for once, get months of detention.

Howl set Draco on the ground and stood over the scorch marks. He sighed and shook his head and then looked at Draco again. With another sigh and another shaking of his head he snapped his fingers, ran his hand through his hair, licked his thumb, and flicked Draco's forehead. In an instant Draco returned to his former self, his clothes once again fitting his body. Harry gaped a little and then looked back to Howl who had circled the pattern on the ground, his eyes reading the lines carefully.

"What is this nonsense? Harry, what did you do? Tell me this instant! Were you trying to write a prophecy? Or summon something?"

"I .. I.. I just … was defending myself. I told Draco to burn in hell."

Howl groaned and for a moment looked as if he would collapse on the spot. He recovered at the last second and covered his face with his hands, "I'm too late… she's gonna kill me… This..." he said, his hands suddenly pulling away from his eyes, one finger held out menacingly as if it would turn anything it touched into green goo, "…is the EXACT reason I am teaching control of magic without the use of wands. None of this ridiculous cursing and hexing and burning would have happened if teachers and professors knew what they were doing!" It appeared that Howl was highly critical of the Wizarding education system. His jacket flared and he turned about, thinking, muttering and pondering. Finally he knelt beside the pattern and took out a small notebook with a miniature quill. He scribbled for a few minutes, bit his thumb nail for a few minutes and then snapped the book shut and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket.

"This never would have happened… I can't believe you don't know how to detect things like this. So dangerous... so so... very dangerous." The last bit of his words seemed to grow fearful.

"Sir, in all honesty... I don't even really know what I did…"

"All the better than, Harry." He tut-tutted but beneath his somewhat cool exterior lay nail-biting panic, ready to spring and dig every terror tipped talon into its victims wits.

Howl rested his hand on the scorch marks and slowly pushed them along the ground. Lilac coloured smoke swirled upwards and into the vents, but had no identifying smell to it. The burn marks slowly disintegrated and Howl forced a grin of confidence onto his face, as he whipped the evidence clean out of existence. Harry felt a little relieved, but he knew he wasn't out of the fire yet.

Howl held his own hand protectively, black ash covering his palm.

"Who'd have thought a thing like that could be in a place like this…" he whispered, "…gone, but the magic is still here." His eyes shot up to Harry, twin glacier tipped arrows struck deeply and the black haired boy felt paralyzed for a moment.

"Get out of here, and take Draco with you."

"But I can't carry –"

"It's fine, he'll walk on his own." Howl flicked his clean hand upwards one finger pointing to the sky. He gestured to Draco quickly made a figure-eight with the same finger and then swiped his hand through the air like a knife. Beside him, Draco had gotten to his feet, and began to walk towards the door, all with the motions of a dead man. His head hung listlessly to the side and his eyes were closed and still.

"Take him to the Hospital Wing and get him checked out then go straight to your room and stay there."

Harry nodded and swallowed, following Draco. He glanced once over his shoulder to see Howl walking about the lavatory, checking in sink holes and under toilet seats, like a senile man trying to find his dentures. Ahead of him Draco's movements were jerky, but he seemed to be fully capable of making it to the Hospital Wing on his own, so Harry, as soon as he had the chance, veered off to one side and began to speed down the hallway that typically led to his Dormitory.

He arrived at the painting of the Fat Lady and looked up at her, "What's the Password?"

The Fat Lady looked down at him, appalled, "My dear boy, did you really think I would give you the password so easily? Even if I did have it would certainly not hand it over to the likes of you in an instant! You do know that Gryffindor's aren't in this area this year, don't you? You've been moved to a more secure Dorm, apparently. I think it's a lot of balderdash, but that's what you get when you're being chased by mass murders. Oh! Dear me, Harry my boy, That just slips out, you know? I know you understand! So I can't give you that password either. In any case! Run along now dear! I haven't got all day to sit here and look pretty." By the way she said it, it was clear that she in fact did have all day. Harry closed his eyes groaned to show how tired and fet up he really was.

"GREAT. Just great."

He began to wander the stair cases. Once he stayed on one stair to see all the ways it could actually go. He found one that led the Hufflepuff, one led to Slytherin and one led to Ravenclaw, which was funny because he could have sworn each dorm were on separate levels of the castle…. Aside Ravenclaw which was in the opposite wing. He got off at the Ravenclaw hall and wandered around for a while, asking random students if they knew where the Gryffindor's were housed.

He bumped into a lithe seventh year with perpetually black hair and cole rimmed eyes. The boy gazed at Harry with endless night irises, before smiling a little, "So you're the one who's seeking the Dark Tower."

"Huh..? No…. I'm looking for the _Gryffindor_ Tower… do you know where it is..?"

The pale boy smiled, his eyes becoming little slivers of darkness in his clear face. He pointed in a direction, "Strange….He can help you. Funny, I always pictured you'd be taller."

Harry blinked at the boy and turned to look the way he was pointing. It happened to be right where an all-too-familiar figure was walking, Markl, who was coming up the stairs and had spotted Harry. He looked exasperated and dishevelled, "Harry! Good lord... You have no idea how long I've been looking for you! I just stopped to ask that Draco fellow where'd you gone off to but I don't think he quite understood me… He looked as if he'd been into the pipeweed if you know what I mean..." Markl continued to ramble and Harry looked back to thank the tall, dark Ravenclaw, but he seemed to have wandered off.

Markl stood next to Harry, "Whatcha looking at? Nevermind! Come on, I found the dorms. Man, it's a good thing I found you! I could have been in big trouble!"

"Trouble? How come?" Harry was now too frazzled to care what was going on. He just wanted to sit down somewhere, or puke. Puking sounded good about now.

"Well because! Didn't you know? I thought you did for sure by how you kept eluding and evading me. I'm your Bodygaurd for this year." He smiled, then.

Yes, puking sounded good right about now.


	8. Chapter 8

**Harry Potter & The Door of Dimensions.**

**Chapter 1:  
****In which a mad king sits at harry's door**

As usual, Markl wouldn't shut up. At first, Harry had been polite and asked a few questions regarding his new 'bodyguard'. He had feigned interest when Markl was distracted by a tangent and he had been as kind as to smile and nod when Markl was simply becoming unbearable. Harry had no idea why he was annoying; it wasn't as if Markl spoke obscure amounts more than any other student at Hogwarts. Harry suspected that if anyone else were to speak to him right now he'd want to punch them in the face just as much as he wanted to deck Markl. This could be due to Harry's natural self-inflicted seclusion from social activity, but today it seemed particularly horrendous. 

"Harry, you look tired. You should sleep when we get back to the dorm..." But the words reached Harry only on a vague, sub-terrain level of thought. The schedule was on time but the trains were empty. 

"That's nice," Harry replied mechanically, thinking about how much he hated walking.

"Did you even hear what I said?" Markl retorted as they came up to a rather tall, thin painting of a black tower. Beside it was a painting of young boy with coal black hair and a coat of night sky that was barely familiar. On the opposite side of the tower was an aged King, holding his crown in his lap like one might hold a French poodle (if they were inclined to like such creatures, unlike Harry who would have held a French Poodle by the neck and a meter away from his body). His face was pale and chalky and a small smile tugged and twittered at the edge of his mouth as if it had been caught on a rambunctious threaded needle. The King didn't look all that healthy, Harry decided, and as they passed the king's eyes watched them go, his shoulder shaking a little. The man in the cloak of night, however, appeared to be sleeping.

"What's the password, what is the password..." The King said to the crown, stroking it gently.

Markl sighed and shook his head, looking up at the King and folding his arms, "Cheshire's Delight." The King smiled broadly and nodded several times, petting his crown more and more enthusiastically. Markl tapped his foot impatiently, "Can you please let us in now?" The King giggled and kicked his feet as the frame of the black tower slid to one side.

"Cheshire's Delight, cheshire's DELIGHT!" He echoed happily, apparently very pleased with the sound those two words made together, "Can you hear... can you hear that music...?" His voice grew quiet and faded as the picture frame covered the port hole once more.

"I swear. This system of passwords and port holes is a load of bullocks. It's so inefficient, especially when the paintings have their own personality. Yesterday it took me nearly ten minutes to coax that old bat to let me in. He wanted to make sure I could 'hear the music'. Just our luck to have a mad king at our door. Must be a bad omen." 

Harry couldn't agree more. He agreed so much that he could have cried, but somehow all he felt was irritation. He would have screamed at the ground for being so down to earth if he had had the energy.

At any rate, he stalked passed the other students and didn't wait for Markl to catch up. Once more he avoided Ron's eye and when Hermione nearly ran into him on the stairs he simply passed her and ran to his room, which was comfortably furnished with all his belongings neatly piled beside his bed. It had been so long, it seemed, since he had seen his own things. After closing all the curtains completely around his little four-poster, he sat for a moment on the covers. It was perfectly familiar, he thought blissfully, before collapsing onto his bed, deflating anti-climatically.

Harry particularly hated nightmares, but what he hated more than that were Dementors, and even more than that; nightmares _about_ dementors. It was one of those nights. Endless dreams about his friends dying, his family dying, someone screaming, someone laughing, pain, darkness, blinding light and finally…

He awoke, on a peculiar frosty evening, Markl was shaking him on the shoulder, and his voice was far away. Harry blinked the sandman's curse from his eyes and looked around, his glasses still on his face, hanging askew. He straightened them, or attempted to, as he sat up. Markl was sitting on the end of his bed like a puppy that needed to go outside NOW.

"Harry!" 

Harry winced.

"Good GOD man! Where have you been all day! You gave me a damned heart attack!" He hung onto Harry's shoulders with both hands and looked like he was going to cry. Harry stared blankly at him. 

"All... day?" He asked airily, raising an eyebrow.

"Harry, you've been asleep since... I don't know when! Yesterday afternoon at least."

"...Oh." Harry said, as if this statement didn't bother him in the least. He glanced around himself as Markl carried on recapping the day's events. The room was dank and dark, not a candelabra lit in sight and the windows curtains were all wide open, letting in the cool rays of the evening sunset. The room was tinted with blue and a soft breeze came from the open window. Harry had an odd feeling someone should have been standing there, or that someone was standing there, or had been standing there. An aura hung in the windows frame and it was chilly.

He looked back at Markl, who was still speaking. Harry missed all his classes and the notification that there was to be a Quidditch meeting in the library at noon the next day. The Captain was to be announced and the dates of the try-outs. Harry discovered that he had slept for twenty hours. That morning Ron had rushed out to classes early in accordance to Hermione's demands (who wished to have an early study session with Ron on the second day of classes. Ron thought this was ludicrous of course but went along with it anyways because Hermione promised to bring some Muggle candies from home for him to test out and for Mr. Weasley to research.), never noticing Harry wasn't going to wake up. Markl didn't check on him because Ron hadn't mentioned anything out of the ordinary, but quickly grew nervous when the be-scarred boy didn't attend first class. He grew even more restless when upon the bell's toll Harry was no where to be seen in second period. By the time third period ended he was nearly in convulsions with anxiety. Lunchtime had offered no help as the King at the porthole wasn't letting any of the Gryffindors in to the dormitory, for fear they would steal his crown behind his back. Markl spent the rest of the day biting his nails down to bloody stumps and trying to convince the King if they were going to steal his crown they would have bloody well done it already. He also tried to convince him that he was, in fact, a piece of canvas strewn with paint, so that it was physically impossible for them to steal his crown, but that didn't go over to well either.

All in all, it was amazing that Harry didn't wake up at one point or another during the day, and it was just dumb luck that the room happened to be inaccessible.

Well. I'll be off then. Thank you Markl, for being so delightfully concerned, but I believe I have... oh... 6 detentions to attend. So..." He got off the bed and stood, adjusting his cloak, shirt, tie and just about everything else he was wearing, "Bye." 

Harry didn't get far.

"Harry! You can't just go wandering off!"

"Why not?"

"Because you can't!"

Harry turned on Markl, who was only a step behind him. The fair skinned, red-headed boy stumbled and backed up. Harry thought he could see a little touch of fear in his eyes, but it was quickly smothered, "You will not tell me what to do. So bugger off."

"I... I can't do that!"

"Can't or won't? Not that it matters...You won't tell me anyways. You seem to always be hiding something. You've been lying to me since the first day we met. So either spit it out, or suck it up."

Markl suddenly looked as if he needed a quick escape or good excuse to leave. His eyes searched the stairs and doorway, finding no answer, he was plainly cornered. Harry took a step foreword and Markl took a step back.

"I can't, Harry! You don't understand!"

"That's fine, you can help me understand. I'm sure whoever it is you're working for will understand just perfectly." Harry jabbed his wand up under Markl's chin and narrowed his eyes, hissing under his breath, "If you follow me one more time, or bother me EVER again, I won't hesitate to defend myself. I don't want your help or your company." With one last shove Harry swept away from him and down the stairwell, gliding through the porthole and closing the painting behind him. Markl, who stood where he was left, was unable to move. Even if he had wanted to follow Harry, he couldn't. The porthole closed with an audible whoosh of air.

Harry turned to the painting of the black tower and waved his wand at it. He was going to make sure Markl stayed put, or at least, if he didn't, then Harry would know when Markl left the dorm. It wasn't any spell he had learned in a book, but somehow the idea for it just came to him. He leaned his forehead on the picture frame and sighed. What was he thinking..?

"Harry..?" 

A voice from behind that wasn't too annoying caught his attention and he swivelled his head to one side, forehead never leaving the frame, "..." He looked blankly at the person, who he quickly recognized to be Hermione, "...Oh. Hi." He said, watching her a tad blankly.

"Harry... I... know that things have been pretty rough lately..."

"Rough isn't he half of it."

"...and I just wanted to let you know that Ron and I... We just want to be here for you..."

"And where is Ron now?" Harry said spitefully, turning fully to the side so his shoulder was against the wall.

"Well... I was actually wondering if you had seen him. He was with me for the first class... but then he said he was going to look for you and I haven't seen him since. You didn't see him in the Dorm did you..? I could have sworn I saw him come down this hall..." she looked down the hall towards the stairways, biting her nail apprehensively. He brunette curls were glossy and styled, framing her face perfectly and her eyes reflected worry and anxiety. Harry was a tad surprised she wasn't roaring angry with him for the way he talked to her. He made a mental note to apologize... later.

"I'm sure he's around, it's not like he just died or something. He probably ran into Ginny. Or Fred and George."

Hermione simply nodded, still looking down the hall, "...Alright." 

Harry sighed a little, "Come on, we'll go look for him." 

Hermione brightened a little at this and nodded to Harry.

For a while they walked in silence, looking down halls, calling up stairs, and the like, without really speaking to each other. There was no sight of Ron though. At last when they thought all was lost and he was probably avoiding them both, they sat upon a railing over looking a section of the library that wasn't commonly visited. From this point they could see everything below them, but not be seen themselves, it was advantageous when scouting for a skulking friend or enemy.

"He's just GONE, Harry... Really, this is starting to become frustrating. It's like he's purposefully hiding to spite us." She crossed her arms and watched Harry for a reaction. Harry glanced at her and nodded a little, looking a tad grim.

"...it is a bit strange he should, up and vanish."

"We should go back and ask all the painting if they've seen him... They see loads of useful and not-so-useful stuff."

"Yeah, maybe." Harry answered airily, looking down at a couple of people who just entered the library. He blinked and immediately recognized Howl as the first, but the second appeared to be a young woman, or old, he couldn't much tell. She had grey hair and a round belly, as well as wearing a simple dress and shoes. Her appearance was almost ghostly. As Hermione began to speak again Harry quickly clamped his hand over her mouth at the two moved closer to them, talking animatedly to each other, "Shh..." He hissed quietly, watching with narrowed eyes. He strained to hear but unfortunately they were talking too quietly. Who was that woman he was with?

Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled Harry's hand off her face, "You're so hopeless." She whispered, holding her want up to her and Harry's ear, close enough so that when the tip glowed a dark green the edges of the dark light touched both their ears. Suddenly everything sounded much louder, every tiny sound was amplified and he could even hear the murmur of students at the other end of the Library. Harry eyed Hermione a little. How did she learn this stuff? 

However, he was distracted by the conversation taking place directly below them. He could hear Howl saying, "...I know its crazy but believe me I SAW them."

The woman replied, in a youthful voice, "Don't be stupid, Howl. Do you know the chances of that? It's practically a billion to one..!" 

"Listen to me! You don't think I KNOW that? I invented the blasted thing, I know how it works. I don't need you patronizing me on its mechanics."

"Yes well, you wouldn't know sometimes, with the way you act sometimes. It's like you've been living in a hole your entire life." 

"ME! Just hold on ONE frigg--" He stopped himself forcibly and sighed deeply, rubbing his temples, "...Look, fighting about that isn't going to get us anywhere."

"Us? How about YOU? I have nothing to do with this, remember? You said yourself that this would be a good job for 'breaching the gap' as you so eloquently put it. Are we breaching the gap? I don't think so. This is getting way to out of hand, and if what you think happened actually DID happen, then we're in a lot more trouble then we thought." She paused, catching her breath, "...Is there even a way to contain it? Or stop the transfer?"

Harry could hear Howl tapping his foot against the ground, "Unfortunately, once it's through it's though. If I had access to it, that would be a different story. It's this long distance magic that really gets to me."

"Well, at least you've been able to do a little."

Howl grunted then said, "The important thing is to keep it away from Harry."

Harry felt a little choked suddenly, wincing mentally. Why did everything come down him in the end? It was like inevitable terribly curse of shitty things, all happening one after another. He felt a strange jabbing pain in his side and realized Hermione was elbowing him. The amplified hearing quickly vanished and they watched from their lofty perch at the two below looked suddenly to the doorway off the Library. They spoke to each other quickly, before Howl dashed out in a blur of violet and red (his chosen colours for the day). The girl however lingered a little while, shuffling from foot to foot. Harry felt Hermione pulling on his sleeve anxiously.

"Harry... I have a bad feeling, come on!" He yanked him free from the railing and they both ran out the other door of the Library, being careful to avoid anyone who might see them on the way out and realize they were eavesdropping.

Once into the main hallway they both stood stalk still as teachers and students rushed passed them. The students, at brisk walking pace or running were all heading to the dorms, most looking befuddled and confused, some fearful. A few teachers were dashing to and fro, trying to get orders out and keep the students together. He noticed some of the teachers checking the windows and waving their wands at the glass. They appeared to be putting protective spells on them…. The windows..? Was something outside?

Harry snapped his hand out and grabbed hold of Neville's arm, who he saw dashing passed, "Neville! What's going on?" He demanded breathlessly.

Nevilled started at Harry's sudden appearance, "Oh..! Harry! I dunno really… They're saying a student was killed by a dementor. But I haven't seen anything. We're all being ordered back to our Dorms! You should head back too! They say it's really dangerous right now…"

Harry stared at him, cold fear rushing over his body. He felt his hands go numb and realease Neville, letting him continue to run. He could feel a burning hot feverish panic run over his skin and he suddenly noticed Hermione was shaking him and shouting, "Harry! Harry! Are you alright? Come on! We shouldn't stay here…! We should go back to the common room and wait for the teacher's instructions! It'll be safer there!"

But Harry was miles away. Pulling free from Hermione's grip he joined the fray, trying to see over other's heads. It was a battle upstream but eventually he came across an abandoned area, a few teachers stood in a large circle, a few shaking their heads and pacing, some others kneeling on the ground, beside the body. Hermione was far behind by now, but he could distantly hear her voice, trying to call him back.

Harry was frozen, his feet becoming cement blocks. Slowly, very slowly, he took a step towards the teachers. McGonagall turned and saw Harry, her eyes wide with grief, the wrinkles around her mouth clearly defined. She rushed towards Harry and tried to turn him away, but Harry looked passed her.

Howl was there, kneeling over the student's crumpled, soulless form. One hand was over his eyes in a sign of dread and helplessness. He looked down again and put a hand on the body's shoulder, shuddering a deep breath in and out. He was too late.

A pale freckled face, turned to the side, eyes open in terror and fear. A shock of brilliant fiery orange hair looked unusually gray, but still bright against the dark blood coloured carpet beneath his head.

He heard Hermione catch up. Then slow. Then scream. McGonagall held her back, who was struggling much more than Harry now, in desperation, in frantic terror. McGonagall looked down and closed her eyes, pulling Hermione into a hug and rubbing her back. Hermione gave up and collapsed into tears, sobbing and shaking her head, disturbing the almond curls she had so carefully placed that morning.

"… I'm terribly sorry."

She moved aside, and it was clear that who lay on the ground, that familiar face.

"Ron Weasley is dead…"


End file.
